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Coming together to ensure that rule of law prevails

Oct 03,2018 - Last updated at Oct 03,2018

Indeed, it is of paramount importance now for all Jordanians to come together to ensure that the law applies to all, and to make sure that no persons or parties believe that they are bigger than the country.

Ensuring the rule of law will help us fight many problems facing us, starting with corruption, injustices, unprecedented cases of violence taking place now and then, school bullying, character assassination and many others.

At a meeting with chief editors and media representatives on Monday, His Majesty King Abdullah reiterated that state agencies cannot remain silent, as we are starting to witness new types of violence that were considered alien to our peaceful society.

“One day they cause vandalism at a school, another they evict a university president from his office, and yet another they close a road… Most recently, we witnessed the death of three-year-old child Hashem Kurdi,” the King angrily said at the meeting, in reference to the attack by people taking part in a wedding procession in Mafraq Governorate against an innocent family, which led to the death of the child.

“Enough is enough,” said the King, dressed in a military uniform, at the meeting with media representatives, which followed his visit to Army Headquarters.

All state agencies, he said, have to join forces with the people to ensure that such acts are stopped, once and for all.

He is perfectly right. A small minority cannot impose its will and ill manners on the vast majority of law-abiding citizens.

Unfortunately, some people who break the law do so because of their belief that their tribes will be protecting them, thus causing harm to the image of the respectable Jordanian tribes. These same tribes helped establish the country almost one century ago, under the main principle of the rule of law, which they have been always safeguarding.

People breaking the law have to be stopped by the tribes that they are offending, as well as by the society as a whole, with all, its agencies, by the force of the law.

“The rule of law” should be the motto of the coming stage to ensure that it applies to all without any exception. It is unfortunate that some people oppose applying the rule of law to relatives in anti-corruption efforts, in appointments, in university admissions and in many other issues despite their repeated calls for justice and equality. Selectivity in applying the law is out of question. This schizophrenic behaviour has to stop.

To do so, we need a national effort or a strategy to start now, building on the momentum of what the King said, to protect our country from those trying to weaken it from within. It has to be a comprehensive, well-studied, sustainable effort so as to bear fruit.

It should be made clear to all that the country’s leadership, national unity and security are red lines. And in any such effort, freedom of expression that respects the law should be guaranteed and protected.

People making accusations of corruption or mismanagement should come up with evidence to substantiate their charges; and they should be encouraged to do so, and even offered any necessary protection. Efforts to familiarise them with proper channels to voice their complaints should be publicised.

Also dignitaries in Parliament, tribes and official circles should come together to agree on a pact or a code not to offer protection to those breaking the law by any means of jaha — tribal delegation — or any other manner.

There are proper means to express views and make demands, including the media, Parliament and political parties. Work to strengthen the latter should be made, as the King said, to be able to express people’s grievances and demands.

Jordanians, renowned for being peace-loving and law-abiding,should be supportive of all efforts aimed at keeping their country the safe haven that it is, an oasis of peace and security in our tumultuous region.

Comments

Paul M (not verified)

Wed, 10/03/2018 - 13:09

I have commented on the murder of Hashem Kurdi in a previous article, an innocent 3yr old, who has had his life snatched away from him. But where is the collective RAGE about this poor boy's death, I'm not sensing it from Jordanians, or from within Jordan, which is very sad - stating "Enough is enough" is not a sufficient response in my humble opinion?!

Dr. Jafar Momani (not verified)

Wed, 10/03/2018 - 12:59

"Enough is Enough" What is after that. Let's wait and see the court ruling against the four or more criminals who were heroes when they attacked a family sheltered by our "Public Security" and "Darak" heroes!. Criminals bashed the 3-year old child and killed him in the presence of the security forces who failed to do anything to protect the family. About two weeks ago, another court found two criminals who raped their fellow student to be not guilty. The court excuse was that the girl went to her fellow students by her choice to what they claimed a party.
The girl is guilty by breaking our rules of Shareaah and norms. She should never go to suspicious events like this. At the same time, the court endorsed the boys right to assault and rape the girl "as long as she accepted to go". Records of our judicial system is full of tragic incidents like this since we agreed to sell our dignity to those dignity dealers or traffickers under what they call "civilization" "secularism" or those visible and invisible people who endorsed CEDAW Treaty".
More to come ! Give the glad tidings to the true patriots of Jordan, more to come,

Hatem Abunimeh (not verified)

Wed, 10/03/2018 - 06:06

The recent proliferation of thankless cases of people taking the law into their own hands is troubling. No one is authorized to behave in an apparent vigilantism style provided that the law enforcement personnel are ready, willing and able to apprehend whoever and whenever-- every time they are called upon to fulfill such duty. Dereliction of duty by the people need not be corrected by other people, it ought to be reported to the proper authority and that is the end of that. Having said that, it is also not all that bad to have personal disputes between people get settled in its early stages by having people lower their gaze and agree to settle on the spot and call it a day without getting entangled in an overcrowded legal system that might take months or in some cases years to settle simple disputes. In not so distant past there were published reports about creating mediation offices within the justice department to quickly liquidate the ream of backed up cases awaiting settlements by having these cases mediated and resolved without going to trial to save time and money. Perhaps such an idea needs to be revisited and hopefully implemented as soon as possible. The cases of personal disputes are like a double-edged sword, on one hand, it is a good thing that they get quickly resolved, on the other the aggrieved may not feel that justice is being served and despite their apparent consent, they walk away with a bitter taste in their mouth. Using the same measuring stick to apply the law evenly without bias or slant is the best way to go about it.

DR SAMUEL IHEMDI (not verified)

Wed, 10/03/2018 - 04:15

PERFECTLY WRITTEN ARTICLE AND AS ALWAYS, JORDAN IS LUCKY TO HAVE AN INTELLEGENT EDITOR LIKE YOU. IN FACT, YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE VOICES OF CHANGE IN JORDAN. I AM NOT A JORDANIAN BUT LOVES JORDAN MORE THAN ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF LAW AND ORDER, BEAUTY OF COUNTRY, RELIGIOUS TOLORANCE OF THE COUNTRY, THE OPEN MINDS OF THE PEOPLE AND IN FACT COURAGE OF THE RULLING FAMILY FROM AT LEAST THOSE I KNOW FROM HIS LATE MAJESTY TO THE KING TODAY. YES, THERE MAY BE SOME AREAS THAT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED, SOME OLD LAWS AND RULES THAT SHOULD BE AMMENDED BUT NOTHING LIKE WHAT I HAVE SEEN TODAY AS THE EDITOR AND HIS MAJESTY HAS STATED.
SINCE I GOT MARRIED TO A JORDANIAN OVER 30 YEARS AGO, I HAVE MADE JORDAN MY PRIMARY PLACE OF RESIDENT BECAUSE I TRUST THE COUNTRY, THE PEOPLE AND THE CULTURE BUT TODAY IT APPEARS THAT THE BEAUTY OF THE KINGDOM IS IN PLAY AND JEOPADY. DRUG DEALING AND ABUSE IS GRADUALLY REPLACING WHAT USE TO BE HARAM, BRIBRY USE TO BE A FLY OVER FOR JORDAN BUT NO MORE, JORDANIAN INSTITUTIONS USE TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR MANY COUNTRIES TO EMULATE, THE COUNTRY OF JORDAN USE TO BE RANKED 3RD IN BEAUTY AND KEEPT SUPER CLEAN ALL YEAR ROUND, THOSE OF USE WHO HAVE FLOWN ON RJ USE TO FIND IT DIFFICULT TO USE ANY OTHER CARRIER AND NOW LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE. THE CURRENT SITUATION IS NOT SUSTAINABLE AND SAD. WHY, WHY AND WHY? HOW DID WE GET HERE AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE. THE BEAUTY OF ANY COUNTRY IS A FUNCTION OF THE PEOPLE WHICH IS ALSO THE FUNCTIONS OF THE RULE OF LAW AND FAIRNESS. IF I WAS TOLD 30 YEARS AGO THAT VANDALS COULD SHOOT SOME ONE IN THE STREET, CREATE HAVOCS IN HIGH SCHOOLS NEVER MIND THE UNIVERSITIES, I WILL BRAND SUCH A PERSON AS MENTALLY SICK. I NEVER KNEW THE MEANING OF WASTA UNTIL LATELY. MY FRIENDS AND ALL JORDANIANS, THE BALL IS IN OUR HANDS AND ALL CITIZENS MUST ASK EACH OTHER HOW THESE CHAOS WAS CREATED. HIS MAJESTY HAS BEEN TALKING AND PREACHING AND TRYING AND EACH TIME IT APPEARS THAT THE MASSAGE IS NOT GETTING THROUGH SO WHY?. THERE WAS NO BRIBERY AND CORRUPTIONS THIRTY YEAR AGO SO WHERE DID WE IMPORT THESE FROM?
IN SUMMARY, I THINK THAT STARTING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, A COURSE IN CIVIC LESSON SHOULD BE THOUGHT AT ALL LEVELS INCLUDING MAKING THIS A REQUIRED COURSE FOR GRADUATING FROM ANY UNIVERSITY IN JORDAN. THIS IS VERY BAD AND AND A DIRTY MARK IN A BEAUTIFUL AND MOSTLY LAW ABIDING NATION.

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The Jordan Times

The Jordan Times is an independent English-language daily published by the Jordan Press Foundationsince October 26, 1975. The Jordan Press Foundation is a shareholding company listed on the Amman Stock Exchange.